![\"\"](\"https:\/\/stage.lindaisrael.com\/art\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/11\/Shoes-300x224.jpg\" "\\"Shoes\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nA prayer began: ‘Our Father’…………. I thought, ‘This man with the shoes, has no pride.<\/p>\n
They’re dusty, worn, and scratched. Even worse, there are holes on the side!’<\/p>\n
‘Thank You for blessings,’ the prayer went on.<\/p>\n
The shoe man said………….. A quiet ‘Amen.’<\/p>\n
I tried to focus on the prayer……. But my thoughts were on his shoes again.<\/p>\n
Aren’t we supposed to look our best. When walking through that door?<\/p>\n
‘Well, this certainly isn’t it,’ I thought, Glancing toward the floor..<\/p>\n
Then the prayer was ended……….. And the songs of praise began.<\/p>\n
The shoe man was certainly loud….. Sounding proud as he sang.<\/p>\n
His voice lifted the rafters…….. His hands were raised high.<\/p>\n
The Lord could surely hear. The shoe man’s voice from the sky.<\/p>\n
It was time for the offering…… And what I threw in was steep.<\/p>\n
I watched as the shoe man reached…. Into his pockets so deep.<\/p>\n
I saw what was pulled out………… What the shoe man put in.<\/p>\n
Then I heard a soft ‘clink’ . As when silver hits tin.<\/p>\n
The sermon really bored me………. To tears, and that’s no lie.<\/p>\n
It was the same for the shoe man…. For tears fell from his eyes.<\/p>\n
At the end of the service…… As is the custom here.<\/p>\n
We must greet new visitors, And show them all good cheer.<\/p>\n
But I felt moved somehow………….. And wanted to meet the shoe man.<\/p>\n
So after the closing prayer…….. I reached over and shook his hand.<\/p>\n
He was old and his skin was dark…. And his hair was truly a mess.<\/p>\n
But I thanked him for coming……… For being our guest.<\/p>\n
He said, ‘My names’ Charlie……….. I’m glad to meet you, my friend.’<\/p>\n
There were tears in his eyes…….. But he had a large, wide grin.<\/p>\n
‘Let me explain,’ he said………. Wiping tears from his eyes.<\/p>\n
‘I’ve been coming here for months…. And you’re the first to say ‘Hi.”<\/p>\n
‘I know that my appearance…………’Is not like all the rest.<\/p>\n
‘But I really do try……………..’To always look my best.’<\/p>\n
‘I always clean and polish my shoes..’Before my very long walk.<\/p>\n
‘But by the time I get here……….’They’re dirty and dusty, like chalk.’<\/p>\n
My heart filled with pain………. And I swallowed to hide my tears.<\/p>\n
As he continued to apologize………. For daring to sit so near<\/p>\n
He said, ‘When I get here…………..’I know I must look a sight.<\/p>\n
‘But I thought if I could touch you..’Then maybe our souls might unite.’<\/p>\n
I was silent for a moment……….. Knowing whatever was said<\/p>\n
Would pale in comparison… I spoke from my heart, not my head.<\/p>\n
‘Oh, you’ve touched me,’ I said……’And taught me, in part;<\/p>\n
‘That the best of any man……………’Is what is found in his heart.’<\/p>\n
The rest, I thought,……………….. This shoe man will never know.<\/p>\n
Like just how thankful I really am… That his dirty old shoe touched my soul…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A friend sent the following story to me today. I liked the story so much I thought I would share this with others, in the hopes that you to might like the story and maybe it would touch you in a special way… I showered and shaved………….. I adjusted my […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-649","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n
Shoes in Church - Linda Israel<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Shoes in Church - Linda Israel\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A friend sent the following story to me today. I liked the story so much I thought I would share this with others, in the hopes that you to might like the story and maybe it would touch you in a special way… I showered and shaved………….. 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<\/a><\/p>\n